OFF: Runaway Train film

[Ted Jackson jr. 6L6]

> From:          J Strobridge <eset08 at HOLYROOD.ED.AC.UK>

> Way off topic this - but someone might know the answer.....
>
> I was half watching (on and off while doing something else) through the
> snow that is Channel 5 on my tv, a film called Runaway Train the other
> night.   I'm not at all sure what the film was about except that it
> involved an escaped convict of some kind but the sound track (when I
> could make it out) was terrific - part Tangerine Dream put some other
> heavy metal sounds.   Does anyone know this film or the bands that might
> have been playing on it?
>
> Just curious
>
> ta
>
> jill
>
Jill,
I've got a tape of this most amazing film, so I'll have to check the
credits for ya.  In fact, thanks for reminding me, as I've got a
little time alone this evening, so I'll watch it again.

The premise is that 2 escaped cons get aboard a set of light engines
[railroad-ese for engines not pulling a train, just all by
themselves] pursued by a maniacal warden obsessed with catching them.
Somehow the brakes get disabled, hence the 'Runaway' part.  The
runaway engines roar across Alaska, with a female railroad
maintenance worker aboard.  She has to avoid the crazed Manny [Jon
Voigt in an oscar-nominated role] and try to figure out how to stop
the train.  Anyway, she manages to disconnect one of the units, so
she gets saved.  The warden gets landed atop the engines via
helicopter, and he and Manny face off against each  other as the
train hurtles toward a dead end in the midst of a driving snowstorm.
Excellent, highest recommendations for this overlooked film...

BTW, this is the most realistic 'train' film ever made, and in
addition to the rail sequences, the prison scenes before the escape
are amazing, and very violent...

theo